Hot off the heels of the budget-but-brilliant TrimUI Smart, TrimUI is back with a PSP-like retro handheld.
Not much is known about the TrimUI Smart Pro yet. As is customary with everything in this industry, leaks of the product always appear when an announcement is imminent. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Anbernic RG35XX, the Logitech G Cloud, or the Retroid Pocket 3S, leaks always find a way.
The good news is, there’s still quite a bit we can garner from the leaked product shots (via the RetroHandhelds Discord server).
TrimUI Smart Pro Emulation
Judging from the images, the TrimUI Smart Pro looks to be a low-end emulation device. The snazzy front end operating system appears to be a modified Emulation Station. Not only that, but it also shows what the console is capable of. NES, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, and Neo Geo all appear in the console selection list on the left.
While this is speculation, if the console could handle higher-end consoles – like N64 or Dreamcast – you’d think they’d be front and center. The lack of N64 and Dreamcast surely indicates we’re dealing with something low-spec. Most likely, up to PS1 is where this device will tap out.
It’s possible up to SNES could be the TrimUI Smart Pro’s breaking point, but given the inclusion of the right stick and secondary triggers, PS1 seems logical.
- Sega: Genesis/Mega Drive, Master System, Game Gear, SegaCD
- Nintendo: NES, SNES, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance
- Sony: PlayStation
- Misc: PC Engine, WonderSwan, Mame, FBNeo, Neo Geo
TrimUI Smart Pro Design
As mentioned, the device takes its cues from the PSP, with a little bit of PS Vita thrown in for good measure.
It’s a sleek console design. Four face buttons cover the upper-right side. Parrelel to that, on the opposite side, is the directional pad. Then both sticks sit roughly below each of the aforementioned areas.
You’ve also got stacked shoulder buttons, what looks like a volume button and power along the top, then three extra buttons – two under the right stick, one under the left.
As far as design goes, this seems comfortable. The LED glow around the sticks looks lush, too.
TrimUI Smart Pro Price
Price is what’s going to make or break this console. The TrimUI Smart sells for just $80, which makes it one of the best affordable consoles out there. If TrimUI is looking to keep its users on-side, the TrimUI Smart Pro is going to have to launch at a similar cost.
Now, let’s be realistic here. The larger screen and LEDs are going to shoot the cost of the console. That’s just a given. Depending on what screen size or type TrimUI goes with, though, could be the difference maker.
I’d expect the TrimUI Smart Pro to come in at around the $120 to $140 mark.
As always, I’ve reached out to TrimUI through the official channels and will update this article once I’ve heard back.
